Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney thumps former Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum
54 - 21 percent among likely Republican primary voters in New York State, according to a
Quinnipiac University poll released today.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has 9 percent and Texas U.S. Rep. Ron Paul has 8
percent. This is the first measure of likely Republican voters in New York by the independent
Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University and can't be compared with earlier surveys of
registered voters. Eight percent of likely GOP primary voters remain undecided and 39 percent
of those who name a candidate say they might change their mind before the April 24 New York
presidential primary.

Romney tops Santorum 60 - 17 percent among men and 48 - 25 percent among women.
The former governor also leads among groups which have gone to Santorum in other states, 49 -
26 percent among self-described conservatives and 45 - 26 percent among Tea Party members.

"Assuming the numbers hold until April 24, Gov. Mitt Romney sweeps the statewide
Republican vote - good for 34 delegates to the party convention. The question is whether
Santorum can pick off one of the 29 districts, each good for two delegates?" said Maurice
Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

President Barack Obama and Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand have
big leads - 2-1 in the Senate race - over possible challengers among New York State registered
voters,

New York State voters approve 56 - 38 percent of the job President Barack Obama is
doing, his best score in almost a year and up from a 50 - 46 percent approval rating February 15.

"New York is still a super-blue state. President Barack Obama trounces any of the GOP
challengers in a general election match-up," Carroll said. "That 94 - 1 percent lead among black
voters gives the president a jumbo cushion."

In the Senate primary, 57 percent of Republicans are undecided. Turner has 19 percent,
followed by Long with 11 percent and Maragos with 7 percent.

"If a happy campaign is one with a lot of opponents, even happier is one with a lot of
anonymous opponents," Carroll said. "Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's three opponents, so far, fall
short of even the generic GOP vote. But it's seven long months until Election Day."

From March 28 - April 2, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,597 New York State voters
with a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percentage points. Live interviewers call land lines and cell
phones. The survey includes 372 likely Republican primary voters with a margin of error of +/- 5.1 percent.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public
opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia
and the nation as a public service and for research.
For more data or RSS feed- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, call (203) 582-5201, or
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1. If the Republican primary for President were being held today, and the candidates were: Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, and Ron Paul, for whom would you vote? (If undecided) As of today, do you lean more toward Gingrich, Romney, Santorum or Paul? (Table includes leaners and early voters)

TREND: If the election for President were being held today, and the candidates were Barack Obama the Democrat and Mitt Romney the Republican, for whom would you vote? (2011 wording referenced "2012 election")

7. If the election for United States Senator were being held today, and the candidates were - Wendy Long the Republican and Conservative party candidate and Kirsten Gillibrand the Democratic party candidate, for whom would you vote?